Sunday, December 21, 2003
Getting Things Straight
As I read description after description, I'm getting clearer and clearer what my criteria are going to be for selecting the films I want to see. First, stories that look like something that would come out of Hollywood or that will be picked up by Hollywood because of star power are OUT. Take Dogville, for instance. It's a "foreign" film by an established Danish director named Lars von Trier. Most Americans probably haven't heard of him, yet, but because of a cast that includes Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall and James Caan, this film will be seen in your local multiplex in the coming months. Look at The Dreamers also. This film even has a February general release date!
Why waste my time at Sundance seeing something I can see here?
The films that are in are ones that are directed by or about women, people of color, queer folk or other groups that Hollywood generally ignores. I am also looking for other things that would make a film not be mainstream--a film with taboo topics or storylines. Take for example D.E.B.S. Here's the description from the Sundance website:
There is a secret test hidden within the S.A.T. designed to identify students who can lie, cheat, fight, and kill. High scorers are recruited by a secret government agency and trained to become members of the nation's most elite paramilitary group: the D.E.B.S. With her exciting and stylish feature debut, D.E.B.S, director Angela Robinson gives us a bubbly, sexy, fun-filled send-up of secret-agent espionage movies, action thrillers, wild parties, and teen angst.
To the outside world, the D.E.B.S. look like picture-perfect plaid-skirted, well-schooled young women. But really they are our nation's first line of defense. Their arch enemy? Lucy in the Sky, a sexy, diamond-bejeweled bank robber so evil that no crime fighter has faced her and lived to tell the tale--until the D.E.B.S. are ordered to take her down. Amy, the poster girl D.E.B., allows Lucy to capture her, but instead of killing Amy, Lucy asks her out on a date. The D.E.B.S. mount a rescue mission, unaware that Amy is having an illicit affair with Lucy and has staged her own kidnapping so they can be together.
Action chick flicks such as Charlie's Angels are infamous for lesbian innuendo, but D.E.B.S. delivers full throttle on this tantalizing promise. It's a fun ride for all, as Robinson aims to revolutionize girl power for a new generation.
Girl power with a full throttle lesbian plot. Hmmmm. I have a feeling that this one isn't going to be picked up by the major studios anytime soon. It's in my top 10.
Take a look at the program. Use my new comments function to tell me (and everyone else who reads the blog) what films you would want to see. A word of advice...it will be easy for you to get overwhelmed. I'd recommend picking only one of the categories and going through the films in that category. Then if you feel you haven't had enough, go on to the next one...more tomorrow!
Why waste my time at Sundance seeing something I can see here?
The films that are in are ones that are directed by or about women, people of color, queer folk or other groups that Hollywood generally ignores. I am also looking for other things that would make a film not be mainstream--a film with taboo topics or storylines. Take for example D.E.B.S. Here's the description from the Sundance website:
There is a secret test hidden within the S.A.T. designed to identify students who can lie, cheat, fight, and kill. High scorers are recruited by a secret government agency and trained to become members of the nation's most elite paramilitary group: the D.E.B.S. With her exciting and stylish feature debut, D.E.B.S, director Angela Robinson gives us a bubbly, sexy, fun-filled send-up of secret-agent espionage movies, action thrillers, wild parties, and teen angst.
To the outside world, the D.E.B.S. look like picture-perfect plaid-skirted, well-schooled young women. But really they are our nation's first line of defense. Their arch enemy? Lucy in the Sky, a sexy, diamond-bejeweled bank robber so evil that no crime fighter has faced her and lived to tell the tale--until the D.E.B.S. are ordered to take her down. Amy, the poster girl D.E.B., allows Lucy to capture her, but instead of killing Amy, Lucy asks her out on a date. The D.E.B.S. mount a rescue mission, unaware that Amy is having an illicit affair with Lucy and has staged her own kidnapping so they can be together.
Action chick flicks such as Charlie's Angels are infamous for lesbian innuendo, but D.E.B.S. delivers full throttle on this tantalizing promise. It's a fun ride for all, as Robinson aims to revolutionize girl power for a new generation.
Girl power with a full throttle lesbian plot. Hmmmm. I have a feeling that this one isn't going to be picked up by the major studios anytime soon. It's in my top 10.
Take a look at the program. Use my new comments function to tell me (and everyone else who reads the blog) what films you would want to see. A word of advice...it will be easy for you to get overwhelmed. I'd recommend picking only one of the categories and going through the films in that category. Then if you feel you haven't had enough, go on to the next one...more tomorrow!
